Cattle Panel Greenhouse - 4 panel system, $150

Put together a video this morning doing a walking tour around a roughly 7.5' x 16.5' greenhouse that cost about $150 to put together. It's working amazingly well. Sharing some concepts to get the most out of the space and the space around it. Would love to hear what people think. There are links early on in the video that connect you to the start of this project this last winter.

It's probably come up before, but has there been a discussion and list produced of the most eco-friendly covering to use for such a greenhouse? I agree that cattle/hog panels are a great and versatile item around which to build many structures from trellising to hoop frames......and they don't make a bad fence either!

“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein

John, I would argue that investing in a quality greenhouse plastic that is UV stabilized and rated for the longest duration would be the course to take. I have been pleased with AM Leonards 'poly remnant sale' options for quality and price.
People who make an inexpensive structure and figure they can skimp on the poly by getting 3mil contractor plastic seem to all share similar reports of having to replace after a year or having breakage, etc. Seems like false economy.

Ideal scenario, if you ask me, is to connect with localgreenhouse operations and be in a position to take any and all larger sheets of poly they are getting rid of. They seem to shed them as a matter of course rather than need quite often and a little hole here or there is easy enough to patch. The ethics there seem strongest of all options...

@Sean D: "....connect with local greenhouse operations and be in a position to take any and all larger sheets of poly they are getting rid of. "

Yeah, for the time being, I think this is not a bad idea. I hate the idea of turning the "dead" skin around into waste in a few years, but if I were to go for such an option, at least it would be used instead of landfilled right away. The hoop-houses are really being pushed locally, so I think there would be a pretty good source of remnants from their operations. Thanks!

Edit: Is the higher grade plastic that you noted recyclable?

“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein

We buy UV resistant poly in India and it lasts several years, maybe like 7 years. At that point it often gets torn at the corners first. We have several different sized greenhouses so we often are able to then cut the torn parts off and use it on a smaller greenhouse for a few more years. Finally, it makes great tarps for lots more years.

Works at a residential alternative high school in the Himalayas SECMOL.org . "Back home" is Cape Cod, E Coast USA.